Prattsburgh Central High School - Franklinite Yearbook (Prattsburgh, NY)

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I2 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL A Night Alone ln An Old Farm House NE night last spring old John Cobbs stopped me while I was on my way to school. He asked me if I would stay at his house over night, attend to the chores, and keep the house safe while he and his wife spent the night with some friends in a distant town. At first I would not con- sent because they lived in an old and very huge, dilapidated house in a secluded valley far from any neighbors. But when he offered me a dollar I consented soon enough, for a dollar in those times looked pretty big: I arrived at John Cobb's house about five o'clock that afternoon, and from then on my trouble began. I started at once with the chores, but it was nearly dark before I started 'to- climb up into the old loft after the hay to feed the mule and the cows. While I was throwing down the hay the mule, waiting for his supper, began to bray. It was very startling, and amazing, and was made more so because every time he brayed an answering screech would come from the house. This sort of stirred me up and I imagined I heard something moving in the hay. Suddenly looking into a dark corner, I saw two very large unblinking eyes staring at me from the dark. I was at first frozen with fear, and threw my pitchfork at those horrible eyes. The fork struck the side of the barn with a crash, and one of the eyes suddenly disappeared, but the other remained and continued to stare at me. I procured another fork and cautiously proceeded to investigate the cause of those glaring eyes, but as I came nearer I felt ashamed at myself for those eyes were only knotholes and the weak light from the outside made them appear like great, strange eyes. It seemed that when I had thrown the fork it had lodged near enough to cover one of them, and made it appear as if one of the eyes had been put out. I was very glad indeed to find out that they really were not eyes, but nevertheless 1ny nerves were somewhat shaken, and I hustled away from that barn as fast as I could. I was somewhat afraid to go into the house because I was sure that the noises I heard while I was in the haymow came from the house. I finally got up nerve enough to enter the house, but first I reinforced myself with a good stout club. By the time I had lighted a lamp and started getting supper, I began to feel more at ease, but this feeling did not last long because while I was eating my supper I heard what seemed like a human voice talking somewhere from above. I was so frightened that I nearly choked, for the voice seemed to say in a deep gutteral tones, Dig his grave! Dig his gravel Well! I did not eat any more supper nor could I think of anything but ghost str ries. I remembered all the stories that people had told about this house being haunted, and I was in a frame of mind to believe part of them at least. The perspiration seemed just to ooze from my body and I was so weak I could hardly walk to my bed, and when I got there I could not sleep for that awful voice kept on talking. Once in a while it would stop for an instant and a horrible blood-curd-

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1 ...Ae 1 FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL ll names of some of the pioneer builders and beautifiers of this place might be kept in remembrance. ---Elizabeth Hall, '23. THE PARK HOTEL The first houses that were built in Prattsburgh were built around the public square. In 1854 the Park Hotel was built on the south side of the park, by joseph Rice. This large three-story building is a well known landmark in Steuben County. The large ball-room on the third floor has been the scene of many social events in days gone by. ---Elizabeth Hall, '23. A Day from the Life of Julius Caesar OT up at four-thirty as Calpurnia had set the alarm for four, and it took me half an hour to get fully awakened. I put on my white duck suit and had breakfast served in the garden. The butler served up some potatoes and rice. It was very good. Ordered up my town car and drove to the Senate building. Cassius wanted the water main to extend down to the Coliseum, but I vetoed the proposition as the cost of the pipes didn't make t-he plan feasible. I went home to lunch. The butler served up pigs' knuckles and peas. Stopped in at Cotta's Quick Lunch and bought a glass of Burgundy. Then went to the Senate again for a two hours' session. A letter was read by a messenger from the Morini saying they formally declared war on us. I despatched a fleet of scout planes to fly over their- territory and make plans of their army stores. Went to the Arena and watched the gladiators for a couple of hours. They werenlt much gocd. They were killed too easily. Went home and took a dip in my bath, and put on my full dress suit. Had dinner at Brntus'. After that Calpurnia, Portia, Brutus and I went to the Impera- tor theater and saw Wallace Reid in The Lion Killer. It was very good. He beardedliive lions in their den, and ran them all through with his dagger. Also saw a good Chaplin comedy. Drove home via Lacus andlspent an hour reading Dickens and Poe. Turned in at 12:30 and left Calpurnia to turn off the electric lights. --- Vrooman Hzlgby, 124. THE CIVICS CLASS Our class in Fivics is real bright, There are four boys, of girls there's two, They never have to stay at night, And all their best they'd die to do There are just six, and that's enough They'd sweat and study 'bout all night To have some fun and not be rough. To End out if the president's right. , We study 'bout the taxes, and we Study 'bout the laws XVe argue and We scuffle And then the teacher jaws. ---Hcrllcrl Clark. ,24.

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4 V- L j,S1 !i- ,. I I FRANKLIN ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL I3 ling scream would follow. I could also hear scuillings and scratchings which added the more to my misery. I didn't sleep a wink that night, but lay awake in constant fear. I tried to persuade myself that there were no ghosts, but when that voice would snarl and say, Dig his grave! I feared I would soon be a ghost or a spirit myself. Long before morning the wind began to rise, and it seemed that the house would be demolished, windows rattled, shutters banged, floors squeaked, the wind shrieked, and altogether I was nearly driven frantic. To add to my terror, besides these noises the donkey began to bray. I suppose he wanted to tell me that he was still alive, but I could do noth- ing but wish him dead for each time he uttered his woe-be-gone call, that horrible demon, ghost or whatever it was answered with a screech. When morning really did appear, I honestly believe my ribs were sore where my heart had pounded them, and I was the happiest boy when Mr. and Mrs. Cobbs arrived. They drove slowly up the driveway, and seemed to be happy for they were smiling and talking to each other. When they saw me, they stopped in amazement, and John said to me, Why I declare boy! what ails you? You are as white as a sheet. I began to tell him of my experiences and had just reached the point where the ghost began to trouble me, -when John Cobbs broke in and said, There now boy, I did forget to tell you to feed the old parrot up there in the attic. I hope he didn't give you any trouble. Q --Joseph Horton, '23. Neighbors ' EIGHBORS are human beings that live next door, and are often mistaken as friends, although the word neighbor means a fellow- being, a friend, and hence entitled to receive and expected to show mercy. In ordinary life the word neighbor often means our intimate enemy or worse. We apply the word neighbor to the persons living in our imme- diate vicinity that come to borrow anything from a paper of pins to the washing machine. The person who comes over and talks a straight three hours about all the bad things in the neighborhood but never says a thing about the advantages of an education or anything good. Those are the people one generally thinks of when the word neighbor is used. On the whole, if we had more people in this world that were real neighbors, as defined inthe dictionary, this world would be better off. Neighbors generally have from five to twelve cats and at least two dogs. At night the cats usually start a singing-school right under your bedroom window while the dogs all join in on the chorus. If there were more shotgnns kept I think there would be fewer cats which would be a good thing for every neighborhood. But as it is we must think of our neigh- bors as joined to all kinds of disagreeable livestock such as goats, guinea hens and such like. ---Charles Borden. qs. 5. B I